Tesla has officially received approval from the Swedish Transport Administration to begin testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software on public highways and expressways across Sweden — marking a significant breakthrough for the company’s European ambitions.
The decision allows Tesla to operate three test vehicles under its own ownership, paving the way for the first sanctioned FSD trials on Swedish roads, according to X user Alexander Kristensen, who has previously reported of FSD news in Sweden.
Tesla got approval to test FSD in Sweden!
— Alexander Kristensen (@LinkN01) October 9, 2025
According to the Swedish Transport Administration, Tesla received approval to test FSD on all state highways and expressways in Sweden. The approval is valid for 3 cars owned by Tesla. pic.twitter.com/EVVPZZRpcs
A Step Forward for FSD in Europe
The approval follows months of collaboration between Tesla and Sweden’s Transport Administration (Trafikverket). In late September, the two parties conducted a joint site assessment test (SAT) for FSD v14, evaluating how the system performed on Sweden’s state-run road network. Those tests concluded successfully, with regulators now giving Tesla the go-ahead to move forward with real-world trials.
This marks a major shift for Tesla in Europe, where regulators have historically been cautious about allowing public testing of autonomous or semi-autonomous driving systems. So far, no other European country has authorized official road testing of FSD, making Sweden one of the first to do so.
From Denial to Approval
Earlier this year, Tesla was denied permission to test FSD in Stockholm, reportedly due to limited municipal resources rather than safety concerns. City officials explained that they were unable to accommodate additional “innovation projects” while still developing an updated framework for autonomous mobility.
Despite that setback, Tesla continued engaging with national authorities to find alternative paths forward. The recent approval from the Transport Administration demonstrates that persistence has paid off — and may signal a growing willingness among European regulators to cautiously explore advanced driver-assistance technologies.
Limited Scope, but Big Implications
For now, Tesla’s authorization applies strictly to state highways and expressways, where conditions are more predictable and traffic flows are easier for autonomous systems to manage. Urban testing — such as in Södertälje, a potential next candidate — still requires separate municipal approval. Those permissions may come later if Tesla’s highway trials prove safe and successful.
Tesla’s testing fleet in Sweden will consist of three vehicles, all owned and operated directly by the company. The trials are expected to generate valuable local data that could accelerate the company’s progress toward a European rollout of FSD (Supervised), a feature already available in countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico, China, and most recently, Australia, and New Zealand.
